Product inhibition of five Hypocrea jecorina cellulases

Single-molecule tracking reveals dual front door/back door inhibition of Cel7A cellulase by its product cellobiose

Degrading cellulose is a key step in the processing of lignocellulosic biomass into bioethanol. Cellobiose, the disaccharide product of cellulose degradation, has been shown to inhibit cellulase activity, but the mechanisms underlying product inhibition are not clear. We combined single-molecule imaging and biochemical investigations with the goal of revealing the mechanism by which cellobiose inhibits the activity of Trichoderma reesei Cel7A, a well-characterized exo-cellulase. We find that cellobiose slows the processive velocity of Cel7A and shortens the distance moved per encounter; effects that can be explained by cellobiose binding to the product release site of the enzyme. Cellobiose also strongly inhibits the binding of Cel7A to immobilized cellulose, with a Ki of 2.1 mM. The isolated catalytic domain (CD) of Cel7A was also inhibited to a similar degree by cellobiose, and binding of an isolated carbohydrate-binding module to cellulose was not inhibited by cellobiose, suggesting that cellobiose acts on the CD alone. Finally, cellopentaose inhibited Cel7A binding at micromolar concentrations without affecting the enzyme's velocity of movement along cellulose. Together, these results suggest that cellobiose inhibits Cel7A activity both by binding to the "back door" product release site to slow activity and to the "front door" substrate-binding tunnel to inhibit interaction with cellulose. These findings point to strategies for engineering cellulases to reduce product inhibition and enhance cellulose degradation, supporting the growth of a sustainable bioeconomy.

Plant polysaccharide degradation-related enzymes in Aspergillus oryzae

Plants synthesize large amounts of stored and structural polysaccharides. Aspergillus oryzae is used in traditional Japanese fermentation and produces many types of plant polysaccharide degradation-related enzymes. The carbohydrate-active enzymes of A. oryzae are important in the fermentation process and biotechnological applications. Because plant polysaccharides have a complex structure, cooperative and synergistic actions of enzymes are crucial for the degradation of plant polysaccharides. For example, the cooperative action of isoprimeverose-producing oligoxyloglucan hydrolase, β-galactosidase, and α-xylosidase is important for the degradation of xyloglucan, and A. oryzae coordinates these enzymes at the expression level. In this review, I focus on the plant polysaccharide degradation-related enzymes identified in A. oryzae.

Dairy manure acidogenic fermentation at hyperthermophilic temperature enabled superior activity of thermostable hydrolytic enzymes linked to the genus Caldicoprobacter

In this study, fermentation experiments were conducted under mesophilic, thermophilic, and hyperthermophilic conditions to investigate adaptation of microbial communities and its effect on extracellular enzyme activities toward degradation of cellulose, hemicellulose and proteins in dairy manure. Hyperthermophilic conditions transformed the microbiome structure and stimulated activity of extracellular proteolytic, cellulolytic, and hemicellulolytic enzymes. Specifically, the activities of protease, cellulose 1,4-β-cellobiosidase, and β-glucosidase secreted by hyperthermophilic microbes were higher by 22%, 47% and 49% compared to those produced by mesophilic and thermophilic communities. Enhanced hydrolytic activity of hyperthermophilic microbes enabled improved feedstock solubilization and production of 39% and 22% more soluble COD than mesophilic and thermophilic microbes, respectively. Connections between hydrolytic function and microbial community structure at various temperatures were assessed using the PICRUSt2 computational tool. Genus Caldicoprobacter was identified as the primary candidate responsible for increased production of thermostable endo-1,4-β-glucanase, β-glucosidase and endo-1,4-β-xylanase, and enhanced hydrolytic performance of hyperthermophilic microbial community.

Succinic acid production from softwood with genome-edited Corynebacterium glutamicum using the CRISPR-Cpf1 system

Corynebacterium glutamicum is a useful microbe that can be used for producing succinic acid under anaerobic conditions. In this study, we generated a knock-out mutant of the lactate dehydrogenase 1 gene (ΔldhA-6) and co-expressed the succinic acid transporter (Psod:SucE- ΔldhA) using the CRISPR-Cpf1 genome editing system. The highly efficient HPAC (hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid) pretreatment method was employed for the enzymatic hydrolysis of softwood (Pinus densiflora) and subsequently utilized for production of succinic acid. Upon evaluating a 1%-5% hydrolysate concentration range, optimal succinic acid production with the ΔldhA mutant was achieved at a 4% hydrolysate concentration. This resulted in 14.82 g L-1 succinic acid production over 6 h. No production of acetic acid and lactic acid was detected during the fermentation. The co-expression transformant, [Psod:SucE-ΔldhA] produced 17.70 g L-1 succinic acid in 6 h. In the fed-batch system, 39.67 g L-1 succinic acid was produced over 48 h. During the fermentation, the strain consumed 100% and 73% of glucose and xylose, respectively. The yield of succinic acid from the sugars consumed was approximately 0.77 g succinic acid/g sugars. These results indicate that the production of succinic acid from softwood holds potential applications in alternative biochemical processes.

A processive GH9 family endoglucanase of Bacillus licheniformis and the role of its carbohydrate-binding domain

One of the critical steps in lignocellulosic deconstruction is the hydrolysis of crystalline cellulose by cellulases. Endoglucanases initially facilitate the breakdown of cellulose in lignocellulosic biomass and are further aided by other cellulases to produce fermentable sugars. Furthermore, if the endoglucanase is processive, it can adsorb to the smooth surface of crystalline cellulose and release soluble sugars during repeated cycles of catalysis before dissociating. Most glycoside hydrolase family 9 (GH9) endoglucanases have catalytic domains linked to a CBM (carbohydrate-binding module) (mostly CBM3) and present the second-largest cellulase family after GH5. GH9 endoglucanases are relatively less characterized. Bacillus licheniformis is a mesophilic soil bacterium containing many glycoside hydrolase (GH) enzymes. We identified an endoglucanase gene, gh9A, encoding the GH9 family enzyme H1AD14 in B. licheniformis and cloned and overexpressed H1AD14 in Escherichia coli. The purified H1AD14 exhibited very high enzymatic activity on endoglucanase substrates, such as β-glucan, lichenan, Avicel, CMC-Na (sodium carboxymethyl cellulose) and PASC (phosphoric acid swollen cellulose), across a wide pH range. The enzyme is tolerant to 2 M sodium chloride and retains 74% specific activity on CMC after 10 days, the highest amongst the reported GH9 endoglucanases. The full-length H1AD14 is a processive endoglucanase and efficiently saccharified sugarcane bagasse. The deletion of the CBM reduces the catalytic activity and processivity. The results add to the sparse knowledge of GH9 endoglucanases and offer the possibility of characterizing and engineering additional enzymes from B. licheniformis toward developing a cellulase cocktail for improved biomass deconstruction. KEY POINTS: • H1AD14 is a highly active and processive GH9 endoglucanase from B. licheniformis. • H1AD14 is thermostable and has a very long half-life. • H1AD14 showed higher saccharification efficiency than commercial endoglucanase.

Biological cellulose saccharification using a coculture of Clostridium thermocellum and Thermobrachium celere strain A9

Abstract

An anaerobic thermophilic bacterial strain, A9 (NITE P-03545), that secretes β-glucosidase was newly isolated from wastewater sediments by screening using esculin. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain A9 had 100% identity with that of Thermobrachium celere type strain JW/YL-NZ35. The complete genome sequence of strain A9 showed 98.4% average nucleotide identity with strain JW/YL-NZ35. However, strain A9 had different physiological properties from strain JW/YL-NZ35, which cannot secrete β-glucosidases or grow on cellobiose as the sole carbon source. The key β-glucosidase gene (TcBG1) of strain A9, which belongs to glycoside hydrolase family 1, was characterized. Recombinant β-glucosidase (rTcBG1) hydrolyzed cellooligosaccharides to glucose effectively. Furthermore, rTcBG1 showed high thermostability (at 60°C for 2 days) and high glucose tolerance (IC₅₀ = 0.75 M glucose), suggesting that rTcBG1 could be used for biological cellulose saccharification in cocultures with Clostridium thermocellum. High cellulose degradation was observed when strain A9 was cocultured with C. thermocellum in a medium containing 50 g/l crystalline cellulose, and glucose accumulation in the culture supernatant reached 35.2 g/l. In contrast, neither a monoculture of C. thermocellum nor coculture of C. thermocellum with strain JW/YL-NZ35 realized efficient cellulose degradation or high glucose accumulation. These results show that the β-glucosidase secreted by strain A9 degrades cellulose effectively in combination with C. thermocellum cellulosomes and has the potential to be used in a new biological cellulose saccharification process that does not require supplementation with β-glucosidases.

Key points

• Strain A9 can secrete a thermostable β-glucosidase that has high glucose tolerance

• A coculture of strain A9 and C. thermocellum showed high cellulose degradation

• Strain A9 achieves biological saccharification without addition of β-glucosidase

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00253-022-11818-0.

Comparative Evaluation of Adsorption of Major Enzymes in a Cellulase Cocktail Obtained from Trichoderma reesei onto Different Types of Lignin

Cellulase adsorption onto lignin decreases the productivity of enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. Here, adsorption of enzymes onto different types of lignin was investigated, and the five major enzymes—cellobiohydrolases (CBHs), endoglucanase (Cel7B), β-glucosidase (Cel3A), xylanase (XYNIV), and mannanase (Man5A)—in a cellulase cocktail obtained from Trichoderma reesei were individually analyzed through SDS-PAGE and zymogram assay. Lignin was isolated from woody (oak and pine lignin) and herbaceous (rice straw and kenaf lignin) plants. The relative adsorption of CBHs compared to the control was in the range of 14.15–18.61%. The carbohydrate binding motif (CBM) of the CBHs contributed to higher adsorption levels in oak and kenaf lignin, compared to those in pine and rice lignin. The adsorption of endoglucanase (Cel7B) by herbaceous plant lignin was two times higher than that of woody lignin, whereas XYNIV showed the opposite pattern. β-glucosidase (Cel3A) displayed the highest and lowest adsorption ratios on rice straw and kenaf lignin, respectively. Mannanase (Man5A) was found to have the lowest adsorption ratio on pine lignin. Our results showed that the hydrophobic properties of CBM and the enzyme structures are key factors in adsorption onto lignin, whereas the properties of specific lignin types indirectly affect adsorption.

Effect of manganese peroxidase on the decomposition of cellulosic components: Direct cellulolytic activity and synergistic effect with cellulase

Herein, it was unearthed that manganese peroxidase (MnP) from Phanerochaete chrysosporium, a lignin-degrading enzyme, is capable of not only directly decomposing cellulosic components but also boosting cellulase activity. MnP decomposes various cellulosic substrates (carboxymethyl cellulose, cellobiose [CMC], and Avicel®) and produces reducing sugars rather than oxidized sugars such as lactone and ketoaldolase. MnP with Mn^II in acetate buffer evolves the Mn^III-acetate complex functioning as a strong oxidant, and the non-specificity of Mn^III-acetate enables cellulose-decomposition. The catalytic mechanism was proposed by analyzing catalytic products derived from MnP-treated cellopentaose. Notably, MnP also boosts cellulase activity on CMC and Avicel®, even considering the cellulolytic activity of MnP itself. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating a previously unknown fungal MnP activity in cellulose-decomposition in addition to a known delignification activity. Consequently, the results provide a promising insight for further investigation of the versatility of lignin-degrading biocatalysts.

Isolation, characterization, and genome assembly of Barnettozyma botsteinii sp. nov. and novel strains of Kurtzmaniella quercitrusa isolated from the intestinal tract of the termite Macrotermes bellicosus

Bioconversion of hemicelluloses into simpler sugars leads to the production of a significant amount of pentose sugars, such as d-xylose. However, efficient utilization of pentoses by conventional yeast production strains remains challenging. Wild yeast strains can provide new industrially relevant characteristics and efficiently utilize pentose sugars. To explore this strategy, we isolated gut-residing yeasts from the termite Macrotermes bellicosus collected in Comoé National Park, Côte d'Ivoire. The yeasts were classified through their Internal Transcribed Spacer/Large Subunit sequence, and their genomes were sequenced and annotated. We identified a novel yeast species, which we name Barnettozyma botsteinii sp. nov. 1118T (MycoBank: 833563, CBS 16679T and IBT 710) and two new strains of Kurtzmaniella quercitrusa: var. comoensis (CBS 16678, IBT 709) and var. filamentosus (CBS 16680, IBT 711). The two K. quercitrusa strains grow 15% faster on synthetic glucose medium than Saccharomyces cerevisiae CEN.PKT in acidic conditions (pH = 3.2) and both strains grow on d-xylose as the sole carbon source at a rate of 0.35 h-1. At neutral pH, the yeast form of K. quercitrusa var. filamentosus, but not var. comoensis, switched to filamentous growth in a carbon source-dependent manner. Their genomes are 11.0-13.2 Mb in size and contain between 4888 and 5475 predicted genes. Together with closely related species, we did not find any relationship between gene content and ability to grow on xylose. Besides its metabolism, K. quercitrusa var. filamentosus has a large potential as a production organism, because of its capacity to grow at low pH and to undergo a dimorphic shift.

Dissecting Cellular Function and Distribution of β-Glucosidases in Trichoderma reesei

Trichoderma reesei has 11 putative β-glucosidases in its genome, playing key parts in the induction and production of cellulase. Nevertheless, the reason why the T. reesei genome encodes so many β-glucosidases and the distinct role each β-glucosidase plays in cellulase production remain unknown. In the present study, the cellular function and distribution of 10 known β-glucosidases (CEL3B, CEL3E, CEL3F, CEL3H, CEL3J, CEL1A, CEL3C, CEL1B, CEL3G, and CEL3D) were explored in T. reesei, leaving out BGL1 (CEL3A), which has been well investigated. We found that the overexpression of cel3b or cel3g significantly enhanced extracellular β-glucosidase production, whereas the overexpression of cel1b severely inhibited cellulase production by cellulose, resulting in nearly no growth of T. reesei. Four types of cellular distribution patterns were observed for β-glucosidases in T. reesei: (i) CEL3B, CEL3E, CEL3F, and CEL3G forming clearly separated protein secretion vesicles in the cytoplasm; (ii) CEL3H and CEL3J diffusing the whole endomembrane as well as the cell membrane with protein aggregation, like a reticular network; (iii) CEL1A and CEL3D in vacuoles; (iv) and CEL3C in the nucleus. β-glucosidases CEL1A, CEL3B, CEL3E, CEL3F, CEL3G, CEL3H, and CEL3J were identified as extracellular, CEL3C and CEL3D as intracellular, and CEL1B as unknown. The extracellular β-glucosidases CEL3B, CEL3E, CEL3F, CEL3H, and CEL3G were secreted through a tip-directed conventional secretion pathway, and CEL1A, via a vacuole-mediated pathway that was achieved without any signal peptide, while CEL3J was secreted via an unconventional protein pathway bypassing the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi.

Alleviating product inhibition of Trichoderma reesei cellulase complex with a product-activated mushroom endoglucanase

Product inhibition of cellulase is a challenging issue in industrial processes. Here, we introduced a product-activated mushroom cellulase, PaCel3A from Polyporus arcularius, into Trichoderma reesei. The filter paper activity, carboxymethyl cellulase activity, and saccharification efficiency (substrate: pretreated rice straw, PRS) of transformants increased significantly with this enzyme (by 18.4-26.8%, 13.8-22.8%, and 17.0%, respectively). A mutant of PaCel3A, PaCel3AM, obtained based on B-factor analysis, saturated mutagenesis, and residual activity assay, showed improved thermostability. The PRS saccharification efficiency using the cellulase complex from T. reesei transformants overexpressing pacel3am increased by 56.4%-63.0%. In addition, the T. reesei cellulase complex obtained by adding the purified recombinant PaCel3AM from T. reesei (rCel3aM-tr) to hydrolyze PRS resulted in increased reducing sugar yields at all sampling points, outperforming the cellulase complexes without rCel3aM-tr. These results suggest that introducing product-activated cellulase genes is a simple and feasible method to alleviate the product inhibition of cellulase.

Molecular modeling, docking and simulation dynamics of β-glucosidase reveals high-efficiency, thermo-stable, glucose tolerant enzyme in Paenibacillus lautus BHU3 strain

The enzyme β-glucosidase mediates the rate limiting step of conversion of cellobiose to glucose and thus plays a vital role in the process of cellulose degradation. The present study deals with analysis of the effective novel strain of Paenibacillus lautus BHU3 for identifying high-efficiency thermostable, glucose tolerant β-glucosidases. Seven counterparts with elevated T_m values ranging from 64.6 to 75.8 °C with high thermo-stability, were revealed through this analysis. The blind molecular docking of the model enzymes structures with cellobiose and pNPG gave high negative interaction energies ranging from -11.33 to -13.29 and -6.43 to -9.054 (kcal mol^-1), respectively. The enzyme WP_096774744.1 effectively formed 5 hydrogen bonds with the highest interaction energy (-13.29 kcal mol^-1) with cellobiose at its catalytic site. Molecular dynamics simulation analysis performed for the WP_096774744.1-pNPG complex predicted Glu5, Arg7, Lue68, Gly69 and Phe325 as the major contributing residues for accomplishing hydrolysis of β-1-4-linkage. Further, the molecular docking of WP_096774744.1 enzyme with glucose revealed a distinct glucose-binding site distant from the substrate-binding site, thus confirming the deficient competitive inhibition by glucose. Hence, WP_096774744.1 β-glucosidase appears to be an efficient enzyme with enhanced activity to biodegrade the cellulosic materials and highly relevant for waste management and various industrial applications.

Enzyme Kinetics by Isothermal Titration Calorimetry: Allostery, Inhibition, and Dynamics

Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) involves accurately measuring the heat that is released or absorbed in real time when one solution is titrated into another. This technique is usually used to measure the thermodynamics of binding reactions. However, there is mounting interest in using it to measure reaction kinetics, particularly enzymatic catalysis. This application of ITC has been steadily growing for the past two decades, and the method is proving to be sensitive, generally applicable, and capable of providing information on enzyme activity that is difficult to obtain using traditional biochemical assays. This review aims to give a broad overview of the use of ITC to measure enzyme kinetics. It describes several different classes of ITC experiment, their strengths and weaknesses, and recent methodological advancements. A summary of applications in the literature is given and several examples where ITC has been used to investigate challenging aspects of enzyme behavior are presented in more detail. These include examples of allostery, where small-molecule binding outside the active site modulates activity. We describe the use of ITC to measure the strength, mode (i.e., competitive, uncompetitive, or mixed), and association and dissociation kinetics of enzyme inhibitors. Further, we provide examples of ITC applied to complex, heterogeneous mixtures, such as insoluble substrates and live cells. These studies exemplify the wide range of problems where ITC can provide answers, and illustrate the versatility of the technique and potential for future development and applications.

Molecular recognition in the product site of cellobiohydrolase Cel7A regulates processive step length

Cellobiohydrolase Cel7A is an industrial important enzyme that breaks down cellulose by a complex processive mechanism. The enzyme threads the reducing end of a cellulose strand into its tunnel-shaped catalytic domain and progresses along the strand while sequentially releasing the disaccharide cellobiose. While some molecular details of this intricate process have emerged, general structure-function relationships for Cel7A remain poorly elucidated. One interesting aspect is the occurrence of particularly strong ligand interactions in the product binding site. In this work, we analyze these interactions in Cel7A from Trichoderma reesei with special emphasis on the Arg251 and Arg394 residues. We made extensive biochemical characterization of enzymes that were mutated in these two positions and showed that the arginine residues contributed strongly to product binding. Specifically, ∼50% of the total standard free energy of product binding could be ascribed to four hydrogen bonds to Arg251 and Arg394, which had previously been identified in crystal structures. Mutation of either Arg251 or Arg394 lowered production inhibition of Cel7A, but at the same time altered the enzyme product profile and resulted in ∼50% reduction in both processivity and hydrolytic activity. The position of the two arginine residues closely matches the two-fold screw axis symmetry of the substrate, and this energetically favors the productive enzyme-substrate complex. Our results indicate that the strong and specific ligand interactions of Arg251 and Arg394 provide a simple proofreading system that controls the step length during consecutive hydrolysis and minimizes dead time associated with transient, non-productive complexes.

pH profiles of cellulases depend on the substrate and architecture of the binding region

Understanding the pH effect of cellulolytic enzymes is of great technological importance. In this study, we have examined the influence of pH on activity and stability for central cellulases (Cel7A, Cel7B, Cel6A from Trichoderma reesei, and Cel7A from Rasamsonia emersonii). We systematically changed pH from 2 to 7, temperature from 20°C to 70°C, and used both soluble (4-nitrophenyl β- d-lactopyranoside [pNPL]) and insoluble (Avicel) substrates at different concentrations. Collective interpretation of these data provided new insights. An unusual tolerance to acidic conditions was observed for both investigated Cel7As, but only on real insoluble cellulose. In contrast, pH profiles on pNPL were bell-shaped with a strong loss of activity both above and below the optimal pH for all four enzymes. On a practical level, these observations call for the caution of the common practice of using soluble substrates for the general characterization of pH effects on cellulase activity. Kinetic modeling of the experimental data suggested that the nucleophile of Cel7A experiences a strong downward shift in pK_a upon complexation with an insoluble substrate. This shift was less pronounced for Cel7B, Cel6A, and for Cel7A acting on the soluble substrate, and we hypothesize that these differences are related to the accessibility of water to the binding region of the Michaelis complex.

Characterization of an extremely thermo-active archaeal β-glucosidase and its activity towards glucan and mannan in concert with an endoglucanase

A metagenome from an enrichment culture of a hydrothermal vent sample taken at Vulcano Island (Italy) was sequenced and an endoglucanase-encoding gene (vul_cel5A) was identified in a previous work. Vul_Cel5A with maximal activity at 115 °C was characterized as the most heat-active endoglucanase to date. Based on metagenome sequences, genomes were binned and bin4 included vul_cel5A as well as a putative GH1 β-glycosidase-encoding gene (vul_bgl1A) with highest identities to sequences from the archaeal genus Thermococcus. The recombinant β-glucosidase Vul_Bgl1A produced in E. coli BL21 pQE-80L exhibited highest activity at 105 °C and pH 7.0 (76.12 ± 5.4 U/mg, 100%) using 4NP β-D-glucopyranoside as substrate and 61% relative activity at 120 °C. Accordingly, Vul_Bgl1A represents one of the most heat-active β-glucosidases to date. The enzyme has a broad substrate specificity with 155% activity towards 4NP β-D-mannopyranoside in comparison with 4NP β-D-glucopyranoside. Moreover, nearly complete hydrolysis of cellobiose was demonstrated. The enzyme exhibited a high glucose tolerance with 26% residual activity in presence of 2 M glucose and was furthermore activated at glucose concentrations of up to 0.5 M. When the endoglucanase Vul_Cel5A and the β-glucosidase Vul_Bgl1A were applied simultaneously at 99 °C, 158% activity towards barley β-glucan and 215% towards mannan were achieved compared with the activity of Vul_Cel5A alone (100%). Consequently, a significant increase in glucose formation was observed when both enzymes were incubated with β-glucan and mannan suggesting a synergistic effect. Hence, the two archaeal extremozymes are ideal candidates for complete glucan and mannan saccharification at temperatures above the boiling point of water.

Tailoring Celluclast® Cocktail’s Performance towards the Production of Prebiotic Cello-Oligosaccharides from Waste Forest Biomass

The main objective of this study focused on the sustainable production of cellobiose and other cellulose-derived oligosaccharides from non-edible sources, more specifically, from forest residues. For this purpose, a fine-tuning of the performance of the commercially available enzyme mixture Celluclast® was conducted towards the optimization of cellobiose production. By enzyme reaction engineering (pH, multi-stage hydrolysis with buffer exchange, addition of β-glucosidase inhibitor), a cellobiose-rich product with a high cellobiose to glucose ratio (37.4) was achieved by utilizing organosolv-pretreated birch biomass. In this way, controlled enzymatic hydrolysis combined with efficient downstream processing, including product recovery and purification through ultrafiltration and nanofiltration, can potentially support the sustainable production of food-grade oligosaccharides from forest biomass. The potential of the hydrolysis product to support the growth of two Lactobacilli probiotic strains as a sole carbon source was also demonstrated.

A practical approach to steady-state kinetic analysis of cellulases acting on their natural insoluble substrate

Measurement of steady-state rates (v_SS) is straightforward in standard enzymology with soluble substrate, and it has been instrumental for comparative biochemical analyses within this area. For insoluble substrate, however, experimental values of v_ss remain controversial, and this has strongly limited the amount and quality of comparative analyses for cellulases and other enzymes that act on the surface of an insoluble substrate. In the current work, we have measured progress curves over a wide range of conditions for two cellulases, TrCel6A and TrCel7A from Trichoderma reesei, acting on their natural, insoluble substrate, cellulose. Based on this, we consider practical compromises for the determination of experimental v_SS values, and propose a basic protocol that provides representative reaction rates and is experimentally simple so that larger groups of enzymes and conditions can be readily assayed with standard laboratory equipment. We surmise that the suggested experimental approach can be useful in comparative biochemical studies of cellulases; an area that remains poorly developed.

A Computational Method to Propose Mutations in Enzymes Based on Structural Signature Variation (SSV)

With the use of genetic engineering, modified and sometimes more efficient enzymes can be created for different purposes, including industrial applications. However, building modified enzymes depends on several in vitro experiments, which may result in the process being expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, computational approaches could reduce costs and accelerate the discovery of new technological products. In this study, we present a method, called structural signature variation (SSV), to propose mutations for improving enzymes’ activity. SSV uses the structural signature variation between target enzymes and template enzymes (obtained from the literature) to determine if randomly suggested mutations may provide some benefit for an enzyme, such as improvement of catalytic activity, half-life, and thermostability, or resistance to inhibition. To evaluate SSV, we carried out a case study that suggested mutations in β-glucosidases: Essential enzymes used in biofuel production that suffer inhibition by their product. We collected 27 mutations described in the literature, and manually classified them as beneficial or not. SSV was able to classify the mutations with values of 0.89 and 0.92 for precision and specificity, respectively. Then, we used SSV to propose mutations for Bgl1B, a low-performance β-glucosidase. We detected 15 mutations that could be beneficial. Three of these mutations (H228C, H228T, and H228V) have been related in the literature to the mechanism of glucose tolerance and stimulation in GH1 β-glucosidase. Hence, SSV was capable of detecting promising mutations, already validated by in vitro experiments, that improved the inhibition resistance of a β-glucosidase and, consequently, its catalytic activity. SSV might be useful for the engineering of enzymes used in biofuel production or other industrial applications.

Systematic deletions in the cellobiohydrolase (CBH) Cel7A from the fungus Trichoderma reesei reveal flexible loops critical for CBH activity

Glycoside hydrolase family 7 (GH7) cellulases are some of the most efficient degraders of cellulose, making them particularly relevant for industries seeking to produce renewable fuels from lignocellulosic biomass. The secretome of the cellulolytic model fungus Trichoderma reesei contains two GH7s, termed TrCel7A and TrCel7B. Despite having high structural and sequence similarities, the two enzymes are functionally quite different. TrCel7A is an exolytic, processive cellobiohydrolase (CBH), with high activity on crystalline cellulose, whereas TrCel7B is an endoglucanase (EG) with a preference for more amorphous cellulose. At the structural level, these functional differences are usually ascribed to the flexible loops that cover the substrate-binding areas. TrCel7A has an extensive tunnel created by eight peripheral loops, and the absence of four of these loops in TrCel7B makes its catalytic domain a more open cleft. To investigate the structure-function relationships of these loops, here we produced and kinetically characterized several variants in which four loops unique to TrCel7A were individually deleted to resemble the arrangement in the TrCel7B structure. Analysis of a range of kinetic parameters consistently indicated that the B2 loop, covering the substrate-binding subsites -3 and -4 in TrCel7A, was a key determinant for the difference in CBH- or EG-like behavior between TrCel7A and TrCel7B. Conversely, the B3 and B4 loops, located closer to the catalytic site in TrCel7A, were less important for these activities. We surmise that these results could be useful both in further mechanistic investigations and for guiding engineering efforts of this industrially important enzyme family.

Rational protein design for thermostabilization of glycoside hydrolases based on structural analysis

Glycosidases are used in the food, chemical, and energy industries. These proteins are some of the most frequently used such enzymes, and their thermostability is essential for long-term and/or repeated use. In addition to thermostability, modification of the substrate selectivity and improvement of the glycosidase activities are also important. Thermostabilization of enzymes can be performed by directed evolution via random mutagenesis or by rational design via site-directed mutagenesis; each approach has advantages and disadvantages. In this paper, we introduce thermostabilization of glycoside hydrolases by rational protein design using site-directed mutagenesis along with X-ray crystallography and simulation modeling. We focus on the methods of thermostabilization of glycoside hydrolases by linking the N- and C-terminal ends, introducing disulfide bridges, and optimizing β-turn structures to promote hydrophobic interactions.

Predominant Nonproductive Substrate Binding by Fungal Cellobiohydrolase I and Implications for Activity Improvement

Enzymatic conversion of the most abundant renewable source of organic compounds, cellulose to fermentable sugars is attractive for production of green fuels and chemicals. The major component of industrial enzyme systems, cellobiohydrolase I from Hypocrea jecorina (Trichoderma reesei) (HjCel7A) processively splits disaccharide units from the reducing ends of tightly packed cellulose chains. HjCel7A consists of a catalytic domain (CD) and a carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) separated by a linker peptide. A tunnel-shaped substrate-binding site in the CD includes nine subsites for β-d-glucose units, seven of which (-7 to -1) precede the catalytic center. Low catalytic activity of Cel7A is the bottleneck and the primary target for improvement. Here it is shown for the first time that, in spite of much lower apparent k_cat of HjCel7A at the hydrolysis of β-1,4-glucosidic linkages in the fluorogenic cellotetra- and -pentaose compared to the structurally related endoglucanase I (HjCel7B), the specificity constants (catalytic efficiency) k_cat /K_m for both enzymes are almost equal in these reactions. The observed activity difference appears from strong nonproductive substrate binding by HjCel7A, particularly significant for MU-β-cellotetraose (MUG₄ ). Interaction of substrates with the subsites -6 and -5 proximal to the nonconserved Gln101 residue in HjCel7A decreases K_m,ap by >1500 times. HjCel7A can be nonproductively bound onto cellulose surface with K_d ≈2-9 nM via CBM and CD that captures six terminal glucose units of cellulose chain. Decomposition of this nonproductive complex can determine the rate of cellulose conversion. MUG₄ is a promising substrate to select active cellobiohydrolase I variants with reduced nonproductive substrate binding.

Isolation and Screening of Cellulolytic Filamentous Fungi

Filamentous fungi are among the microorganisms that most efficiently are able to degrade plant biomass by secreting cell wall-degrading enzymes and they are therefore used extensively in the industry as workhorses for the production of enzymes, including cellulases for the use in second-generation biorefinery concepts. Fungi are therefore of interest both as resources for the search of novel cellulolytic enzymes and for production of enzymes and enzyme cocktails, which also can be carried out on-site using cheap lignocellulosic substrates for growth and enzyme production. Fungi can be isolated from different environmental niches, such as soil, compost, decaying wood, decaying plant material, building materials, and different foodstuffs. Selective isolation can be carried out using simple cellulosic or complex plant material in the media. In this chapter, methods used for the isolation and screening of cellulolytic fungi isolated from different ecological niches are presented. The screening assay presented in the chapter is an easy semiquantitative high-throughput agar plate screening method using azurine-cross-linked (AZCL) cellulose substrates.

The inhibition of hemicellulosic sugars on cellulose hydrolysis are highly dependant on the cellulase productive binding, processivity, and substrate surface charges

In this study, the influence of major hemicellulosic sugars (mannose and xylose) on cellulose hydrolysis and major enzyme activities were evaluated by using both commercial enzyme cocktail and purified cellulase monocomponents over a "library" of cellulosic substrates. Surprisingly, the results showed that unlike glucose, mannose/xylose did not inhibit individual cellulase activities but significantly decreased their hydrolytic performance on cellulose substrates. When various enzyme-substrate interactions (e.g. adsorption/desorption, productive binding, and processive moving) were evaluated, it appeared that these hemicellulosic sugars significantly reduced the productive binding and processivity of Cel7A, which in turn limited cellulase hydrolytic efficacy. Among a range of major cellulose characteristics (e.g. crystallinity, degree of polymerization, accessibility, and surface charges), the acid group content of the cellulosic substrates seemed to be the main driver that determined the extent of hemicellulosic sugar inhibition. Our results provided new insights for better understanding the sugar inhibition mechanisms of cellulose hydrolysis.

Fine-Tuned Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Organosolv Pretreated Forest Materials for the Efficient Production of Cellobiose

Non-digestible oligosaccharides (NDOs) are likely prebiotic candidates that have been related to the prevention of intestinal infections and other disorders for both humans and animals. Lignocellulosic biomass is the largest carbon source in the biosphere, therefore cello-oligosacharides (COS), especially cellobiose, are potentially the most widely available choice of NDOs. Production of COS and cellobiose with enzymes offers numerous benefits over acid-catalyzed processes, as it is milder, environmentally friendly and produces fewer by-products. Cellobiohydrolases (CBHs) and a class of endoglucanases (EGs), namely processive EGs, are key enzymes for the production of COS, as they have higher preference toward glycosidic bonds near the end of cellulose chains and are able to release soluble products. In this work, we describe the heterologous expression and characterization of two CBHs from the filamentous fungus Thermothelomyces thermophila, as well as their synergism with proccessive EGs for cellobiose release from organosolv pretreated spruce and birch. The properties, inhibition kinetics and substrate specific activities for each enzyme are described in detail. The results show that a combination of EGs belonging to Glycosyl hydrolase families 5, 6, and 9, with a CBHI and CBHII in appropriate proportions, can enhance the production of COS from forest materials, underpinning the potential of these biocatalysts in the production of NDOs.

GlnR and PhoP regulate β-glucosidases involved in cellulose digestion in response to nitrogen and phosphate availability

The limited catalytic efficiency of cellulose-degrading enzymes restricts cellulose digestion. We investigated the transcriptional regulation of genes encoding key cellulose degrading enzymes, namely β-glucosidases, in the industrial actinobacterium Saccharopolyspora erythraea. We observed that the expression of most β-glucosidase-encoding genes was controlled by the availability of nitrogen and phosphate via their respective global regulators, namely GlnR and PhoP. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay demonstrated that GlnR and PhoP bound directly to the promoters of β-glucosidase-encoding genes. Deletion of glnR resulted in lower transcript levels and activity of β-glucosidases, leading to decreased bacterial growth on cellulose. Overexpression of glnR and phoP or nitrogen/phosphate starvation increased the transcript levels and total activity of β-glucosidases. Moreover, GlnR/PhoP-mediated cellobiose utilization was also observed in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). These findings provide insights into the regulatory roles played by GlnR and PhoP in coordinating nitrogen/phosphate metabolism and carbohydrate utilization, and indicate potential strategies for cellulose fermentation in the production of bio-based chemicals by actinobacteria.

A novel GH10 xylanase from Penicillium sp. accelerates saccharification of alkaline-pretreated bagasse by an enzyme from recombinant Trichoderma reesei expressing Aspergillus β-glucosidase

BACKGROUND

Trichoderma reesei is considered a candidate fungal enzyme producer for the economic saccharification of cellulosic biomass. However, performance of the saccharifying enzymes produced by T. reesei is insufficient. Therefore, many attempts have been made to improve its performance by heterologous protein expression. In this study, to increase the conversion efficiency of alkaline-pretreated bagasse to sugars, we conducted screening of biomass-degrading enzymes that showed synergistic effects with enzyme preparations produced by recombinant T. reesei.

RESULTS

Penicillium sp. strain KSM-F532 produced the most effective enzyme to promote the saccharification of alkaline-pretreated bagasse. Biomass-degrading enzymes from strain KSM-F532 were fractionated and analyzed, and a xylanase, named PspXyn10, was identified. The amino acid sequence of PspXyn10 was determined by cDNA analysis: the enzyme shows a modular structure consisting of glycoside hydrolase family 10 (GH10) and carbohydrate-binding module family 1 (CBM1) domains. Purified PspXyn10 was prepared from the supernatant of a recombinant T. reesei strain. The molecular weight of PspXyn10 was estimated to be 55 kDa, and its optimal temperature and pH for xylanase activity were 75 °C and pH 4.5, respectively. More than 80% of the xylanase activity was maintained at 65 °C for 10 min. With beechwood xylan as the substrate, the enzyme had a K_m of 2.2 mg/mL and a V_max of 332 μmol/min/mg. PspXyn10ΔCBM, which lacked the CBM1 domain, was prepared by limited proteolysis. PspXyn10ΔCBM showed increased activity against soluble xylan, but decreased saccharification efficiency of alkaline-pretreated bagasse. This result indicated that the CBM1 domain of PspXyn10 contributes to the enhancement of the saccharification efficiency of alkaline-pretreated bagasse. A recombinant T. reesei strain, named X2PX10, was constructed from strain X3AB1. X3AB1 is an Aspergillus aculeatus β-glucosidase-expressing T. reesei PC-3-7. X2PX10 also expressed PspXyn10 under the control of the xyn2 promoter. An enzyme preparation from X2PX10 showed almost the same saccharification efficiency of alkaline-pretreated bagasse at half the enzyme dosage as that used for an enzyme preparation from X3AB1.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that PspXyn10 promotes the saccharification of alkaline-pretreated bagasse more efficiently than TrXyn3, a GH10 family xylanase from T. reesei, and that the PspXyn10-expressing strain is suitable for enzyme production for biomass saccharification.

Molecular and biochemical characterization of recombinant cel12B, cel8C, and peh28 overexpressed in Escherichia coli and their potential in biofuel production

BACKGROUND

The high crystallinity of cellulosic biomass myofibrils as well as the complexity of their intermolecular structure is a significant impediment for biofuel production. Cloning of celB-, celC-encoded cellulases (cel12B and cel8C) and peh-encoded polygalacturonase (peh28) from Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (Pcc) was carried out in our previous study using Escherichia coli as a host vector. The current study partially characterizes the enzymes' molecular structures as well as their catalytic performance on different substrates which can be used to improve their potential for lignocellulosic biomass conversion.

RESULTS

β-Jelly roll topology, (α/α)₆ antiparallel helices and right-handed β-helices were the folds identified for cel12B, cel8C, and peh28, respectively, in their corresponding protein model structures. Purifications of 17.4-, 6.2-, and 6.0-fold, compared to crude extract, were achieved for cel12B and cel8C, and peh28, respectively, using specific membrane ultrafiltrations and size-exclusion chromatography. Avicel and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were substrates for cel12B, whereas for cel8C catalytic activity was only shown on CMC. The enzymes displayed significant synergy on CMC but not on Avicel when tested for 3 h at 45 °C. No observed β-glucosidase activities were identified for cel8C and cel12B when tested on p-nitrophenyl-β-d-glucopyranoside. Activity stimulation of 130% was observed when a recombinant β-glucosidase from Pcc was added to cel8C and cel12B as tested for 3 h at 45 °C. Optimum temperature and pH of 45 °C and 5.4, respectively, were identified for all three enzymes using various substrates. Catalytic efficiencies (k_cat/K_m) were calculated for cel12B and cel8C on CMC as 0.141 and 2.45 ml/mg/s respectively, at 45 °C and pH 5.0 and for peh28 on polygalacturonic acid as 4.87 ml/mg/s, at 40 °C and pH 5.0. Glucose and cellobiose were the end-products identified for cel8C, cel12B, and β-glucosidase acting together on Avicel or CMC, while galacturonic acid and other minor co-products were identified for peh28 action on pectin.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides some insight into which parameters should be optimized when application of cel8C, cel12B, and peh28 to biomass conversion is the goal.

When substrate inhibits and inhibitor activates: implications of β-glucosidases

BACKGROUND

β-glucosidases (BGs) catalyze the hydrolysis of β-glycosidic bonds in glucose derivatives. They constitute an important group of enzymes with biotechnological interest like supporting cellulases in degradation of lignocellulose to fermentable sugars. In the latter context, the glucose tolerant BGs are of particular interest. These BGs often show peculiar kinetics, including inhibitory effects of substrates and activating effects of inhibitors, such as glucose or xylose. The mechanisms behind the activating/inhibiting effects are poorly understood. The nonproductive binding of substrate is expected in cases where enzymes with multiple consecutive binding subsites are studied on substrates with a low degree of polymerization. The effects of inhibitors to BGs exerting nonproductive binding of substrate have not been discussed in the literature before.

RESULTS

Here, we performed analyses of different reaction schemes using the catalysis by retaining BGs as a model. We found that simple competition of inhibitor with nonproductive binding of substrate can account for the activation of enzyme by inhibitor without involving any allosteric effects. The transglycosylation to inhibitor was also able to explain the activating effect of inhibitor. For both mechanisms, the activation was caused by the increase of k_cat with increasing inhibitor concentration, while k_cat/K_m always decreased. Therefore, the activation by inhibitor was more pronounced at high substrate concentrations. The possible contribution of the two mechanisms in the activation by inhibitor was dependent on the rate-limiting step of glycosidic bond hydrolysis as well as on whether and which glucose-unit-binding subsites are interacting.

CONCLUSION

Knowledge on the mechanisms of the activating/inhibiting effects of inhibitors helps the rational engineering and selection of BGs for biotechnological applications. Provided that the catalysis is consistent with the reaction schemes addressed here and underlying assumptions, the mechanism of activation by inhibitor reported here is applicable for all enzymes exerting nonproductive binding of substrate.

Enhanced cellulase production from Trichoderma reesei Rut-C30 by engineering with an artificial zinc finger protein library

Trichoderma reesei Rut-C30 is a well-known cellulase producer, and improvement of its cellulase production is of great interest. An artificial zinc finger protein (AZFP) library is constructed for expression in T. reesei Rut-C30, and a mutant strain T. reesei U3 is selected based on its enhanced cellulase production. The U3 mutant shows a 55% rise in filter paper activity and 8.1-fold increased β-glucosidase activity, when compared to the native strain T. reesei Rut-C30. It is demonstrated that enhanced β-glucosidase activity was due to elevated transcription level of β-glucosidase gene in the U3 mutant. Moreover, significant elevation in transcription levels of several putative Azfp-U3 target genes is detected in the U3 mutant, including genes encoding hypothetical transcription factors and a putative glycoside hydrolase. Furthermore, U3 cellulase shows 115% higher glucose yield from pretreated corn stover, when compared to the cellulase of T. reesei Rut-C30. These results demonstrate that AZFP can be used to improve cellulase production in T. reesei Rut-C30. Our current work offers the establishment of an alternative strategy to develop fungal cell factories for improved production of high value industrial products.

A kinetic study of Trichoderma reesei Cel7B catalyzed cellulose hydrolysis

One prominent feature of Trichoderma reesei (Tr) endoglucanases catalyzed cellulose hydrolysis is that the reaction slows down quickly after it starts (within minutes). But the mechanism of the slowdown is not well understood. A structural model of Tr- Cel7B catalytic domain bound to cellulose was built computationally and the potentially important binding residues were identified and tested experimentally. The 13 tested mutants show different binding properties in the adsorption to phosphoric acid swollen cellulose and filter paper. Though the partitioning parameter to filter paper is about 10 times smaller than that to phosphoric acid swollen cellulose, a positive correlation is shown for two substrates. The kinetic studies show that the reactions slow down quickly for both substrates. This slowdown is not correlated to the binding constant but anticorrelated to the enzyme initial activity. The amount of reducing sugars released after 24h by Cel7B in phosphoric acid swollen cellulose, Avicel and filter paper cellulose hydrolysis is correlated with the enzyme activity against a soluble substrate p-nitrophenyl lactoside. Six of the 13 tested mutants, including N47A, N52D, S99A, N323D, S324A, and S346A, yield ∼15-35% more reducing sugars than the wild type (WT) Cel7B in phosphoric acid swollen cellulose and filter paper hydrolysis. This study reveals that the slowdown of the reaction is not due to the binding of the enzyme to cellulose. The activity of Tr- Cel7B against the insoluble substrate cellulose is determined by the enzyme's capability in hydrolyzing the soluble substrate.

Alleviating product inhibition in cellulase enzyme Cel7A

Enzymes that degrade cellulose into glucose are one of the most expensive components of processes for converting cellulosic biomass to fuels and chemicals. Cellulase enzyme Cel7A is the most abundant enzyme naturally employed by fungi to depolymerize cellulose, and like other cellulases is inhibited by its product, cellobiose. There is thus great economic incentive for minimizing the detrimental effects of product inhibition on Cel7A. In this work, we experimentally generated 10 previously proposed site-directed mutant Cel7A enzymes expected to have reduced cellobiose binding energies (the majority of mutations were to alanine). We then tested their resilience to cellobiose as well as their hydrolytic activities on microcrystalline cellulose. Although every mutation tested conferred reduced product inhibition (and abolished it for some), our results confirm a trade-off between Cel7A tolerance to cellobiose and enzymatic activity: Reduced product inhibition was accompanied by lower overall enzymatic activity on crystalline cellulose for the mutants tested. The tempering effect of mutations on inhibition was nearly constant despite relatively large differences in activities of the mutants. Our work identifies an amino acid in the Cel7A product binding site of interest for further mutational studies, and highlights both the challenge and the opportunity of enzyme engineering toward improving product tolerance in Cel7A.

Temperature Effects on Kinetic Parameters and Substrate Affinity of Cel7A Cellobiohydrolases

We measured hydrolytic rates of four purified cellulases in small increments of temperature (10-50 °C) and substrate loads (0-100 g/liter) and analyzed the data by a steady state kinetic model that accounts for the processive mechanism. We used wild type cellobiohydrolases (Cel7A) from mesophilic Hypocrea jecorina and thermophilic Rasamsonia emersonii and two variants of these enzymes designed to elucidate the role of the carbohydrate binding module (CBM). We consistently found that the maximal rate increased strongly with temperature, whereas the affinity for the insoluble substrate decreased, and as a result, the effect of temperature depended strongly on the substrate load. Thus, temperature had little or no effect on the hydrolytic rate in dilute substrate suspensions, whereas strong temperature activation (Q10 values up to 2.6) was observed at saturating substrate loads. The CBM had a dual effect on the activity. On one hand, it diminished the tendency of heat-induced desorption, but on the other hand, it had a pronounced negative effect on the maximal rate, which was 2-fold larger in variants without CBM throughout the investigated temperature range. We conclude that although the CBM is beneficial for affinity it slows down the catalytic process. Cel7A from the thermophilic organism was moderately more activated by temperature than the mesophilic analog. This is in accord with general theories on enzyme temperature adaptation and possibly relevant information for the selection of technical cellulases.

Beta glucosidase from Bacillus polymyxa is activated by glucose-6-phosphate

Optimization of cellulose enzymatic hydrolysis is crucial for cost effective bioethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass. Enzymes involved in cellulose hydrolysis are often inhibited by their end-products, cellobiose and glucose. Efforts have been made to produce more efficient enzyme variants that are highly tolerant to product accumulation; however, further improvements are still necessary. Based on an alternative approach we initially investigated whether recently formed glucose could be phosphorylated into glucose-6-phosphate to circumvent glucose accumulation and avoid inhibition of beta-glucosidase from Bacillus polymyxa (BGLA). The kinetic properties and structural analysis of BGLA in the presence of glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) were investigated. Kinetic studies demonstrated that enzyme was not inhibited by G6P. In contrast, the presence of G6P activated the enzyme, prevented beta glucosidase feedback inhibition by glucose accumulation and improved protein stability. G6P binding was investigated by fluorescence quenching experiments and the respective association constant indicated high affinity binding of G6P to BGLA. Data reported here are of great impact for future design strategies for second-generation bioethanol production.

Structural insights into the inhibition of cellobiohydrolase Cel7A by xylo-oligosaccharides

The filamentous fungus Hypocrea jecorina (anamorph of Trichoderma reesei) is the predominant source of enzymes for industrial saccharification of lignocellulose biomass. The major enzyme, cellobiohydrolase Cel7A, constitutes nearly half of the total protein in the secretome. The performance of such enzymes is susceptible to inhibition by compounds liberated by physico-chemical pre-treatment if the biomass is kept unwashed. Xylan and xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) have been proposed to play a key role in inhibition of cellobiohydrolases of glycoside hydrolase family 7. To elucidate the mechanism behind this inhibition at a molecular level, we used X-ray crystallography to determine structures of H. jecorina Cel7A in complex with XOS. Structures with xylotriose, xylotetraose and xylopentaose revealed a predominant binding mode at the entrance of the substrate-binding tunnel of the enzyme, in which each xylose residue is shifted ~ 2.4 Å towards the catalytic center compared with binding of cello-oligosaccharides. Furthermore, partial occupancy of two consecutive xylose residues at subsites -2 and -1 suggests an alternative binding mode for XOS in the vicinity of the catalytic center. Interestingly, the -1 xylosyl unit exhibits an open aldehyde conformation in one of the structures and a ring-closed pyranoside in another complex. Complementary inhibition studies with p-nitrophenyl lactoside as substrate indicate mixed inhibition rather than pure competitive inhibition.

DATABASE

The atomic coordinates and structure factors are available in the Protein Data Bank under accession number 4D5I (H. jecorina Cel7A E212Q variant, complex with xylotriose), 4D5J (H. jecorina Cel7A E217Q variant, complex with xylotriose), 4D5O (H. jecorina Cel7A E212Q variant, complex with xylopentaose), 4D5P (H. jecorina Cel7A E217Q variant, complex with xylopentaose), 4D5Q (wild-type H. jecorina Cel7A, complex with xylopentaose) and 4D5V (H. jecorina Cel7A E217Q variant, complex with xylotetraose).

Effects of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase oxidation on cellulose structure and binding of oxidized cellulose oligomers to cellulases

In nature, polysaccharide glycosidic bonds are cleaved by hydrolytic enzymes for a vast array of biological functions. Recently, a new class of enzymes that utilize an oxidative mechanism to cleave glycosidic linkages was discovered; these enzymes are called lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMO). These oxidative enzymes are synergistic with cocktails of hydrolytic enzymes and are thought to act primarily on crystalline regions, in turn providing new sites of productive attachment and detachment for processive hydrolytic enzymes. In the case of cellulose, the homopolymer of β-1,4-d-glucose, enzymatic oxidation occurs at either the reducing end or the nonreducing end of glucose, depending on enzymatic specificity, and results in the generation of oxidized chemical substituents at polymer chain ends. LPMO oxidation of cellulose is thought to produce either a lactone at the reducing end of glucose that can spontaneously or enzymatically convert to aldonic acid or 4-keto-aldose at the nonreducing end that may further oxidize to a geminal diol. Here, we use molecular simulation to examine the effect of oxidation on the structure of crystalline cellulose. The simulations highlight variations in behaviors depending on the chemical identity of the oxidized species and its location within the cellulose fibril, as different oxidized species introduce steric effects that disrupt local crystallinity and in some cases reduce the work needed for polymer decrystallization. Reducing-end oxidations are easiest to decrystallize when located at the end of the fibril, whereas nonreducing end oxidations readily decrystallize from internal cleavage sites despite their lower solvent accessibility. The differential in decrystallization free energy suggests a molecular mechanism consistent with experimentally observed LPMO/cellobiohydrolase synergy. Additionally, the soluble oxidized cellobiose products released by hydrolytic cellulases may bind to the active sites of cellulases with different affinities relative to cellobiose itself, which potentially affects hydrolytic turnover through product inhibition. To examine the effect of oxidation on cello-oligomer binding, we use thermodynamic integration to compute the relative change in binding free energy between the hydrolyzed and oxidized products in the active site of Family 7 and Family 6 processive glycoside hydrolases, Trichoderma reesei Cel7A and Cel6A, which are key industrial cellulases and commonly used model systems for fungal cellulases. Our results suggest that the equilibrium between the two reducing end oxidized products, favoring the linear aldonic acid, may increase product inhibition, which would in turn reduce processive substrate turnover. In the case of LMPO action at the nonreducing end, oxidation appears to lower affinity with the nonreducing end specific cellulase, reducing product inhibition and potentially promoting processive cellulose turnover. Overall, this suggests that oxidation of recalcitrant polysaccharides by LPMOs accelerates degradation not only by increasing the concentration of chain termini but also by reducing decrystallization work, and that product inhibition may be somewhat reduced as a result.

The predominant molecular state of bound enzyme determines the strength and type of product inhibition in the hydrolysis of recalcitrant polysaccharides by processive enzymes

Processive enzymes are major components of the efficient enzyme systems that are responsible for the degradation of the recalcitrant polysaccharides cellulose and chitin. Despite intensive research, there is no consensus on which step is rate-limiting for these enzymes. Here, we performed a comparative study of two well characterized enzymes, the cellobiohydrolase Cel7A from Hypocrea jecorina and the chitinase ChiA from Serratia marcescens. Both enzymes were inhibited by their disaccharide product, namely chitobiose for ChiA and cellobiose for Cel7A. The products behaved as noncompetitive inhibitors according to studies using the (14)C-labeled crystalline polymeric substrates (14)C chitin nanowhiskers and (14)C-labeled bacterial microcrystalline cellulose for ChiA and Cel7A, respectively. The resulting observed Ki (obs) values were 0.45 ± 0.08 mm for ChiA and 0.17 ± 0.02 mm for Cel7A. However, in contrast to ChiA, the Ki (obs) of Cel7A was an order of magnitude higher than the true Ki value governed by the thermodynamic stability of the enzyme-inhibitor complex. Theoretical analysis of product inhibition suggested that the inhibition strength and pattern can be accounted for by assuming different rate-limiting steps for ChiA and Cel7A. Measuring the population of enzymes whose active site was occupied by a polymer chain revealed that Cel7A was bound predominantly via its active site. Conversely, the active-site-mediated binding of ChiA was slow, and most ChiA exhibited a free active site, even when the substrate concentration was saturating for the activity. Collectively, our data suggest that complexation with the polymer chain is rate-limiting for ChiA, whereas Cel7A is limited by dissociation.